Category: Heliconiaceae

Heliconia latispatha inflorescences Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta (unranked): Monocots (unranked): Commelinids Order: Zingiberales Family: Heliconiaceae Genus: HeliconiaHeliconia, derived from the Greek word helikonios, is a genus of about 100 to 200 species of flowering plants native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia. Common names for the genus include lobster-claws, wild plantains or false bird-of-paradise. The last term refers to their close similarity to the bird-of-paradise flowers (Strelitzia). Collectively, these plants are also simply referred to as heliconias.

It is the sole genus of the family Heliconiaceae, but was formerly included in the family Musaceae. The APG system of 1998, and its successor,....read more